Craigdarroch Castle

Located in the heart of Victoria, Craigdarroch Castle was completed in 1890 for the honorable Robert Dunsmuir and his wife Joan, the wealthiest family in British Columbia. The Dunsmuirs were pioneers who left Scotland for Vancouver Island and amassed an incredible fortune through coal mining.

The building is a unique example of a "bonanza castle" built in the Chateauesque Victorian style. After being occupied as a family home for just 18 years, the castle subsequently was used as a military hospital, college campus, the offices for the Victoria School Board, and a music conservatory. Today Craigdarroch Castle has been recognized as a National Historic Site and is run by a nonprofit organization as a historic house museum.

Lavish Victorian-era furnishings and decor, exquisite stained glass, and detailed woodwork carved by artisans of days gone by – these all combine to create a warm and expansive cultural experience.